“Past due home loans in Iowa dropped almost a full percentage point in the first quarter, signalling again that the housing market is recovering….
Foreclosure starts are at the lowest level since the end of 2008 and had their second largest drop ever, said Jay Brinkmann, MBA’s chief economist. ‘Most of these numbers continue to point to a mortgage market on the mend,’ Brinkmann said in a statement.”
Click here to read the full story from the Des Moines Register
We would like to express our appreciation to Diane Cox for serving as president of the Central Iowa Multiple Listing Service during 2010. She provided valuable leadership during a year of transition as the Boone & Ames MLS merged. Diane is a Realtor® at our Boone office.
Diane will continue to serve the business community in 2011 as a newly elected board member for the Boone Chamber of Commerce. Thank you for your service, Diane. We appreciate you!
Several individuals at our company have received a letter at their home from a company called Deed Retrieval Services. The official looking legal size letter encourages them to order a copy of the deed to their property by submitting a check for $87.00.
This is largely unnecessary as deeds are recorded by the county as official legal record when a property is transferred and easily obtainable if you need another paper copy. The Hunziker & Associates real estate agent you worked with on your transaction can supply you with a copy of the deed at no charge. Or, simply contact the Recorder’s office at the county where you property is located for instructions on getting another paper copy.
The letter from Deed Retrieval Services states that the letter is a solicitation and they are not affiliated with any government agency.
Post by Tabitha Zesch, Relocation Director
We are pleased to repost the following announcement from the Salisbury House in Des Moines; a replica of the King’s House in Salisbury, England.
Dec. 3 and 410 a.m. to 8 p.m.Tour Salisbury House, Terrace Hill and Finkbine Mansion—three grand historic homes decorated for the holidays.
Enjoy decorated rooms in holiday themes, live music, and demonstrations from Weeks and Leo (cosmetics manufacturer with historic ties to Salisbury House owner and entrepreneur Carl Weeks.
Admission: $15 adults$6 children (12 and under)$12 per person (groups of 20 or more)Advance tickets may be purchased from Dahls on Ingersoll Avenue. DAY OF tickets may be purchased from Salisbury House & Gardens or Terrace Hill.
10 Evenings in December
Dec. 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23
The House will stay open 5 to 9 p.m. for ten nights in December. Make it a special date night out, or bring the family for a charming evening filled with holiday celebration.
Admission: $12 adults, $3 children (ages 3-12), $25 family (2 adults + 3 children)
Announcement & photo reposted from: http://www.salisburyhouse.org/events_holly_ivy.html
Property taxes are levied based on the value of a property. The more expensive the house, the higher the property taxes. And you can’t find a property tax bill much higher than the one Tiger Woods received in 2010.
His new luxury golf estate on Jupiter Island near Palm Beach, Florida has an assessed value (an estimate of the fair market value determined by the local taxing authority) of $35 million dollars. His annual property tax bill this year came in at a whopping $595,797.23.
Post by Tabitha Zesch, Relocation Director
The cost of buying a home with an FHA loan is about to get more expensive. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced last week that it will be increasing monthly mortgage insurance premiums by 63%. The move will help them raise an additional 3.6 Billion dollars annually to offset the massive foreclosure losses they covered during the nationwide housing recession that began in 2008.
Fortunately, they will also be decreasing the initial fee borrowers pay from 2.25% of the loan to only 1%. But, since most buyers roll the up front fee into their loan, most will still see a sharp increase in costs per month compared to how much it would cost to buy a home today. For example, for buyers getting a $193,000 loan, the total effect will be an increase of $59.55 per month.
Borrowers who finalize a purchase agreement and have a FHA case number assigned before October 4th will not be affected by the increase. For the example given above, swift action on the part of the would-be-buyers would save them $7,146.00 over the next 10 years.
October 4th may not seem that far away, but there is still ample time to purchase a home before the deadline. Relocating families often select a home in just one weekend. Although the pressure of a looming deadline adds intesity during any project, it can also help spur us on to reach our goals and focus with greater clarity when we have to make decisions. If you are in the market for a home, we would be honored to help you succeed in buying the home that’s right for you and help you enjoy the process. Just think of it as a chance to win big money playing beat-the-clock on the latest government-sponsored real estate game show.
Post by Tabitha Zesch, Relocation Director
HCS Builders in Ames has been experiencing a substantial increase in sales of brand new homes. “We are starting back on the growth path. Sales (at HCS) are up 33% thru 8/17/2010 over the same period in 2009,” noted Dean Hunziker, Broker of Hunziker & Associates, REALTORS. Hunziker & Associates, REALTORS markets homes constructed by HCS Builders, a sister company with offices at our Ames location.
Interestingly, most of the growth is due to an increase in custom home orders. Custom homes are built to the specifications of the customer from the ground up. HCS has two home designers on staff to design home plans for clients. Custom homes can be at any price point, although they tend to be more elaborate.
HCS also offers build-to-suit homes, where clients choose the floor plan and then customize all of the options from there, and spec homes, where the homes are built without a buyer yet but are still customizable until their completion. Jill Anderson, HCS’s in-house Project Coordinator, assists customers with selecting their home’s decor to fit their personal style.
A great aspect of building with HCS Builders is that Clients can be as involved (or not involved) in their new home as they desire. Our agents can help you through the entire process from selecting a lot to previewing home plans HCS has already built.
Additional information about HCS Builders, Inc. is available on their website. http://bit.ly/dyJkjS . Post by Lyndsey Van Soelen, Communications Intern.
Selling or buying a home can be a thrilling experience, or it can be incredibly frustrating and stressful. The difference is often heavily impacted by the caliber of your Realtor® and how hard they will work for you. But with all of the real estate agents out there, how can you select an outstanding Realtor® over one who is just average?
The first step is to look for a company with a trusted name, one that is established and respected, and a company that is involved in the community. These companies tend to put a lot of merit in their reputation, and generally only hire people that will represent the company well. Consider if they have the resources and support personnel to properly market your home. Hiring a company with extensive marketing resources and strong networking connections will increase your odds selling quickly for the best possible price or finding that perfect home.
When considering agents, you can ask whether real estate is their full-time job, how much experience they have, if they have completed advanced education (often shown as designations behind their name such as CRS, GRI or CBR), and what they will do to represent your best interests. Although years of experience can be an indicator of ability, more important is effort, enthusiasm, and networking ability. Try asking potential agents what has been happening in the real estate market to see how knowledgable and current they are on local market conditions.
It is always critical in real estate to use someone intimately familiar with the town where you plan to buy or sell. By asking how many homes they have sold in your target area it is easy to confirm if they regularly work in the area. It is also a good idea to find someone knowledgeable of the type of property you will be dealing with, such as an acreage, condo or fixer-upper. For example, to find an agent for purchasing or selling a rental property, it would make sense to select an agent who owns rental properties themself. Asking friends or neighbors to recommend an agent they had a good experience with is one way to start. Or, you can ask potential agents for referrals from past clients, or call a reputable company and ask to speak to the Relocation Department to reach a staff member who can personally recommend an agent for you based on your needs.
Finding an agent who can help you successfully buy or sell your home with the least hassle possible is worth the effort. Do your homework, and don’t settle until you find the right agent for you!
About Hunziker & Associates, REALTORS
Post by Lyndsey Van Soelen, Communications Intern
CNN Money just revealed its annual “Best Places to Live” list, and Ames ranked as the #9 best small city to live in the nation! The ranking was based on the low unemployment rate of 4.3%, the great school systems, abundance of entertainment and restaurants, and the prestige of Iowa State University.
The only other 2 Iowa cities that made the list were Iowa City, ranked 68, and West Des Moines, ranked 75.
To see the full story, check out http://bit.ly/9qAUgA
How to spend money wisely on remodeling and increase the value of your home…
If you would like to increase the value of your home while increasing the beauty and functionality, remodeling is a great solution. However, not all renovations are created equal: Some bring great returns, others can actually be a liability.
The Dos:
Do invest in the most important rooms of the home, namely kitchens, bathrooms, and master bedrooms. New flooring, updated paint, new cabinetry and upgraded countertops are functional for you and will appeal to future buyers, bringing greater value to your home. Large expenditures, such as cabinetry, flooring, and tile work, will provide the most return when popular neutral options are chosen. This doesn’t mean boring- paint and accessories provide character, but are easily changed later to meet anyone’s taste.
Adding on rooms such as master suites, bathrooms, sunrooms, and family rooms add value only when it brings your home up to the standards of the neighborhood. When adding on rooms, consider the flow of the home and making the addition blend seamlessly into the original home.
The Don’ts :
If you plan on moving in the next couple of years, here is one crucial consideration: You will get much lower returns on the improvements if they do not make sense for your market. It is always good to keep up with the Joneses but not to exceed them, because buyers compare prices within neighborhoods. A general way to estimate whether an improvement is a financial asset or not is to add up your home value and the improvement cost, If the total is more than 20% over average price of homes in your neighborhood, you will probably take a loss when you try to sell your home.
If this is the case, you may want to consider purchasing a new home with the amenities you want rather than improving what you have, as many renovations don’t bring a full return of their cost when the home is sold.
If you make improvements, try to make improvements that are useful and attractive to a variety of buyers. For example, swimming pools or overly ornate gardens may turn off buyers because they require too much maintenance. Additionally, consider more timeless options for permanent fixtures, and add your own flair with things that are easily removed or changed.
Post by Lyndsey Van Soelen, Communications Intern
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